Open-top refrigerated display case



Jan. 25, 1949. J. c.. REAR OPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed oct. 7, 1946 INVENTOR. ./a/rns C ,Paar

Jan. v 25, 1949.

Filed Oct. '7, 1946 J. C. REAR OPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE I 5 sheets-sheet 2 Jan. 25, 1949. J. c. REAR 2,400,030 l QPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CAS Filed Oct. 7, 1946 3 Sheets-Shea?l 3 FILE /L AAAA/ AALAAAA Patented Jan. 25,` 1949 inNlrEo srnrss Ara T F F ICE 254160,03() oPE'N-rror nnrnronanrrnn Y.nrsrrny CASE James C. Rear, Berkeley, Calif., assignor vvto The `-Union Ice Company, San Francisco, Calif., .a

corporation of California vApplication ,October '7, 1945; Seria-I Nc. 7012795 (Cl.v vv62`89.`5)

prospective customer and'in 'an attractive and f well-kept condition. Furthermore, it is vadvantageous to havethe `produce vopenly exposed for removal 'andsala It is therefore an object of Y-Iny invention to provide aY cabinetor case with-inwhich the produce can be disposed for display and for saleand which is open vto the surroundings so that a custemer can immediately serve himself Aor be served therefrom.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a display case of the openitype wherein the atmosphere Within which the produceis stored is maintained at an appropriate temperature-and humidity to foster theA keeping qualities and continued attractivenessandfreshness of the materials displayed.

Another object -of the invention is to provide meansrfor insuring the 'continued satisfactoryV circulation'of atmosphere inthe vvicinity of the produce. despite the factl that the quantity of the produce may vary fromtime to time.

n2 caseof my invention includes a cabinet having an open-top produce display compartment partially bounded by 'an inclined rear wallalso serv- 'ing asa boundary'of a refrigerant compartment. Within the refrigerant compartment are means for supporting ice in spaced relation to the'inclined wall Yto-provide a channel through which air isblown'by a Vfan to new over 'a produce-dis* playing shelf of afperforatev nature. After contacting the produce most of the blown air flows through the perforations into the interior of the cabinet. From there it iiows 'through a rcond-uil',

extending throughthe ice compartment and 'to the blower fan. For convenience, the blower fan 'and some-of -the-air conducting members are mounted on a removable cover for the ice com- Y 'par-trnent so that the compartment can readily be Another object of the invention is to provide y means not only ford-isplaying-certain merchandise under appropriate'conditions, but likewise for storing under favorable atmospheric conditions merchandise not immediately on display.

Other Vobjects/of the invention together with the foregoing are-attained in the embodiment of the invention sel-ectedforv illustration in the accompanying 'drawings' in which: Y `Figure 1 is a front elevation of -a refrigerated display case constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 lis-ta plan of the refrigerated display case as shown in- Figure -1. f

Figures is a cross section theplanes of which are indicated by the lines 3-=3 vofliigure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section the'plane ofwhich'is mdidated by the line l-li of Figure-3. A Y Y Figure 5 -is '#anotherf fragmentary crosssection the'planeof whiohis indicated-bythe line 5-45 ofFigure 3. Y

VIn its prefferredfform therefrigerateddisplay rechargedwith ice or other refrigerant. Space is'provided in the lower portion of the cabinet for storage vof Vmaterial awaiting display. Preferably, the display shelf is largely surrounded with an inturned combing or moulding to deect cold-air onto the produce and is backed on the inclined vvaIlwith a 'mirror to enhance 'the apparent 'extent of the produce display.

vWhile the refrigerated display case of the invention is susceptible' of embodiment in Vnumerous -diierent forms v'and can'be varied in general configuration and display capacity in accordance with special requirements, it has been successfully incorporated in the form shown' herein for retail 'store display purposes.

ln the instance illustrated, I provide a cabinet '6 supported' on'the iioor "i on suitable blocks 8 or skids so that lthe structure is readily installed and removed. The cabinet includes a 'floor e preferably comprised of a plurality 'of' layers Il and t2 of sheathing material enclosing interposed thermal' insulation I3 of any preferred sort. The floor l2 merges 'with va back Wall i4 of similar construction prefer-ably intermediate its height provided witha sealed joint lS so that the lower partcf the'cabinetwall can be detached from the upperpart thereof under special circumstances. VIn a similar fashion the floor lmerges with a front 'wall il having -a sealed joint I8 therein comparable to the joint le. Access tothe interior space It lin lthe lower Yportion ofthe cabinet `is afforded` through a plurality of doors 2l of suitable construction disposed in the front Wall, while the interiorv of the compartment or space i9 is readily cleaned or washed and the liquids drained away through a depression 221eading to :anniftakepipe 23 discharging rearwardly of the cabinet.

Included in the cabinet E is a partition wall 24 fabricated in a fashion similar to that of the bottom l2 and inclined between the side walls 25 and 25 of the cabinet in a rearward and downward direction as seen from the cabinet front. The inclined wall 2d terminates in the same top plane as the rear wall i4 and serves to divide the cabinet into a refrigerant compartment 28 and a produce or display compartment 25.

The top of the refrigerant compartment 28 is closed by two cover portions 3 lV and 32 constructed in a fashion similarto that of the base and walls and preferably similar so that a description of one applies to the other as well.

Each of the cover portions 3| and 32 is connect- Yupper margin of the inclined wall 24 is provided with aV plurality Vof" lights 6l suitably shielded by a hood 62 continuing the top surface of the cover 3! and deflecting the light appropriately ed by hinges 33 to the rear wall I4 and is provided Y with an air duct 34 having a Venturi inlet 36. A blower fan 3l disposed in the inlet is fastened on a shaft 38 extending from an electric motor 39 mounted on the cover 3l. An air Ventilating and protecting hood 4l encompasses the motor 39 in part. When the motor is energized the fan 37 is effective to pull air through the Venturi opening 3e to which itis supplied by a conduit d2 of circular cylindrical form. The conduit telescopes with the Venturi inlet 36 when the cover is closed and extends through the ice compartment Z8 and into the lower compartment i9 of the cabinet. Air from the lower compartment is drawn upwardly through the conduit-42 in heat exchanging relationship with the ice in the compartment 28 and is'then forced by the fan to flow through the duet se. i

Air discharges from the duct through a nozzleV 53 at the end thereof designed to fit, when the cover is closed, within a channel M This channel is partially defined by the inclined wall 2li and partially defined by a corrugated foraminous metallic screen 146 Veffective to support a refrigerant c such as ice within the compartment 2B yet to space such ice from the wall 24 to leave the designated channel 44. Because of the nature Vof the foraminous corrugated material, the melting ice extends through the openings ,thereinV into the air stream flowing inthe channel to remove heat from the air and to establish the humidityof the air at the proper value and by entrainment'with the melted ice to remove dust particles and other contaminants from the circulating air.V Y The screen li@ extends for the'l entire length of the dividing wall Ell and extends below it almost to intersect the rear wall Id.. The screen stops just above a bottom drain plate 4'! effective to intercept falling water from the melting ice and to Y divert it to the side of the cabinet for discharge through the outlet 23; Since the wall Zcstops short ofthe end of the channel defining screen 46, there is provideda.communicating'nozzle 3 establishing an accelerated air flow fromY the channel through the opening 69 of the nozzle into the produce display compartment 2Q. The nozzle material is continued to form a shelf 5l a portion upon the display.

Air which passes across the shelf 5l through the produce 53 and available for recirculation is pulled downwardly through the holes 52 into the compartment i9 since the pressure therein is something less thanV atmospheric whereas the pressure of the air ejected through the nozzle opening 49 is preferably'slightly above atmospheric. 'Thus the air warmed by the heat of the produce is pulled through the compartment I and returned through the conduit 32 to the circulating fan for recycling and cooling. Produce for immediate sale is well displayed in an opentopped compartment for ready removal pending which itis maintained at an appropriate te1nperature and humidity, Additional produce not yet ready for display or produce to be stored without display, can be retained in its shipping carton or crate and located within the relatively cool compartment i9 by introduction through the doors EL In the event there is no need for such storage, the lower portion of the cabinet, because of the jointsfl and I8, can readily be replaced-with a somewhat shallower lower cornpartment omitting access doors 2|, and serving simply as a return passageway for air flowing y through the holes 52 and returning to the conduitV of which is, pierced to leave holes 52 to form a f perforated supporting member for produceV 53. The produce is arranged for display on the shelf and is situated just behind the front wall l1 andV d2 for recirculation.

T. claim: Y Y

l. A -refrigerated'display case comprising a cabinet having an open-top display portion, an inclined wall forming the back of said display portion, means Von saidwall for Asupporting ice spaced Yfrom said wall to'define a channel, a perforate produce shelf in said display porti-on, means for establishing communication between said channel and the upper-side of said shelf, means defining a duct extending from the lower side of said shelf to said channehand means for circulating air through saidduct and then through said channel;V Y Y 'Y 2. A refrigerated display case comprising a cabinet having an open-top display portionan inclined wall forming the back -ofsaid display portion `and a boundary of an ice compartment,

means on said wall for supporting ice spaced from said wall to define a channel, a perforate produce shelf in said display portion,` means for directing air flowing down said channel to flow across said shelf, means deiininga duct extending from below said shelf through'saidV ice compartment to said channel, andv means Vfor circulating air through said? duct fand then through said chan-lI nel. v f

3. A refrigerated display case comprising a cabinet having an open-top display portion, an inclined wall forming the backof vsaid display portion and a boundary vof an ice compartment, means in said compartment for supporting ice spaced fromsaid vwall to deneta channel, a perforate produce shelf in said display portion,

means establishing communication between the lower end of said channel and the* upper side of said shelf, a conduit extending through said ice compartment, means for establishing communication between the lower side of saidshelf and said conduit, and means for establishing communication between said conduit and the upper end of said channel. k

4. A refrigerated display case' comprising a cabinet having an open-top display portion, an inclined wall forming the back of vsaid display portion and a boundary of an ice compartment,

means in said compartment for supporting ice spaced from said wall to dene a channel, aY perforate produce shelf in said display portion, means establishing communication between the lower end of said channel and the upper side of said shelf, a conduit extending through said ice compartment, means for establishing communication l between the lowerside of said shelf and said con- Y duit, a cover for said ice compartment, and means on said cover for forcing air from said conduit into the upper end of said channel.

5. A refrigerated display case comprising a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2O 2,083,442 Gardner June 8, 1937 2,146,850 Rear Feb. 14, 1939 2,379,885 Davis July 10, 1945 -2,447,759 MaoMaster Aug. 24, 1948 

